Milton Spoehr
Milton Spoehr, 87, a prominent attorney for many years in Berlin, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 31, 2015, at Patriot Place in Berlin, surrounded by family.
Milton was born on February 28, 1927 in Cambridge, WI, the oldest child of Wilford and Olga Hanson Spoehr. Milton grew up on the family farm north of Shiocton, WI and graduated from Shiocton High School in 1944. He was a gifted athlete who excelled on the high school boxing and basketball teams.
After high school, Milton stayed at home and worked on the family farm for three years. He then attended college at UW-Oshkosh, and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Law in Madison.
He married the love of his life, Mary Oberstadt, at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New London on June 14, 1952. Milton and Mary made their home in Berlin shortly thereafter, and were blessed with three children. Milton successfully practiced law for over fifty years and proudly served as Berlin’s City Attorney under eight different mayors.
Milton enjoyed working on the family farm as a young man, and especially loved horses. He was an active founding member of the Berlin Sunset Riders Horse Club, participating in horse shows at the Berlin arena, where Greentree Mall now stands. He also had part-ownership in the Pine Trails Riding Academy located west of Berlin. Milton continued keeping horses throughout most of his life. He loved baling hay, making fences and working on many other outdoor projects, as he and his family worked hard to build and maintain a beautiful home and horse barn located on a hill overlooking the city of Berlin.
He also enjoyed snowmobiling and boating in his younger years, and he attended many Milwaukee Bucks and Green Bay Packers games with family and friends. As his grandchildren grew older, he loved watching them participate in swim and track meets, soccer games and other sporting events.
Milton is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Mary, and three children, Connie (Steven) Smits of Berlin, Lisa (John) Tatgenhorst of Wilmette, IL and Paul (Linda) Spoehr of Madison, WI. He is further survived by six grandchildren, Haley (Wade) Kaufman, Alyse (Taylor) Paulsen, Siri Smits, Laura Tatgenhorst, Alex Spoehr and Derek Spoehr; and two great-grandchildren, Case Kaufman and Bronson Paulsen. Milton also leaves behind many cherished friends and relatives. Milton was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Lauren; sister-in- law, Theresa; and an infant sister, Lois Ann.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Grace English Lutheran Church, 384 Oak Street, Berlin, the Rev. Scott T. Piper officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Friends and relatives may call on Friday, February 6 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin and on Saturday at the church one hour prior to the services. A luncheon will be held at City Inn located at 689 Broadway Street in Berlin. All of Milton’s family and friends are invited to attend. The family would like to thank Patriot Place staff and Heartland Hospice Services for the great care that they provided for Milton. Online condolences may be sent to the family at barbolafc@yahoo.com.